The present invention relates to a board game apparatus, and more particularly to a board game apparatus of the type having a main course which includes a plurality of playing areas of substantially equal size along which player owned tokens are moved as determined by chance until a specified sum of money is acquired.
The type of game of the present invention is that type in which a substantially flat playing board is utilized, the upper surface of which is provided with suitable representations or markings indicating a main playing course which includes a plurality of generally equal playing areas. Secondary playing areas are also provided. These secondary areas include a plurality of equally sized areas having numerical indicia thereon aligned in double file in a straight line. Additionally, playing areas of first and second colors are provided.
During the play of the game, the playing pieces, one owned by each of the players, are moved along the main course complying with the instructions found on a plurality of playing areas. The main course playing areas which have instructions thereon are colored in one or more colors and are interposed between the areas having numerical indicia thereon. Each of the players moves his individual distinctive token around the main course path in accordance with the numerical indication obtained by rotating a dial indicator provided on the playing board. A player who lands on a playing area having the proper instructions thereon is then permitted to exercise his gambling instincts by placing a wager on numerical indicia and on a particular color. The player then attempts to have the selected number or color indicated by the dial indicator when it comes to rest after being rotated again. Each of the players utilizing skill and by the element of chance attempts to accumulate a prescribed amount of monetary tokens, e.g., $500,000 or $1,000,000 after which the game is terminated and the individual accumulating the specified sum of monetary tokens is declared the winner.
Many of the board games known in the prior art merely involve movement of the player's tokens around a playing path or course in a manner determined by chance in accordance with a means such as dice, dial indicator, or pointer arranged to be rotated, and the like. The prior art games frequently are thus reduced to games of chance with little skill involved. However, the present invention combines the elements of chance with some measure of skill, since a player must determine the amount of monetary tokens and the number of times he places wagers. Thus, the present invention requires the players to use skill and intelligence in acquiring the prescribed sum of money in order to be declared a winner.
Accordingly, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a novel and stimulating board game apparatus.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a game apparatus which requires players to exercise good judgment, skill and the like, during the competitive play so that the winning player will require more than just luck.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved game apparatus which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and provides excitement and enjoyment during the play of the game for the participating players.
A board game apparatus for a plurality of players, according to the principles of the present invention, comprises, in brief, a playing board having a continuous main course which is divided into a plurality of adjacent playing areas, a portion of the plurality of main course playing areas having penalties, rewards and instructions associated therewith to which the players must respond. The remaining portion of the plurality of main course playing areas are provided with numerical indicia thereon. The playing areas are randomly interposed and disposed to form the main course. The board further includes differently colored playing areas having consecutive numerical indicia thereon disposed separate from the main course on the board. Each of the secondary playing areas corresponds with a main course playing area having numerical indicia thereon. The playing board additionally includes a generally centrally disposed dial indicator rotatably affixed thereon and adapted to rotate and indicate a numerical quantity when coming to rest. Also included is a plurality of distinctive tokens constituting playing pieces. One of the tokens is utilized by each of the players in playing the game. Monetary tokens are provided for the payment of rewards and penalties by players whose tokens land on a main playing area having such instructions. Additionally included are wagering tokens for placement on the secondary areas and the different colored areas to indicate the areas selected and the amounts wagered. A plurality of cards having numerical indica thereon corresponding to the main path numerical indicia are provided. The cards with numerical indicia thereon are obtained by the players under prescribed conditions and ownership thereof provides rewards of monetary tokens under specific conditions. Two decks of cards are also provided; the cards of one of the decks have indicia thereon indicating wagering instructions, the cards of the other deck have indicia thereon indicating penalty or reward instructions. A player is directed to select a card from one of the decks of cards in accordance with the instructions provided on the main course playing areas.